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Genomic Data Can Identify
Individuals Based on Physical Traits
• Researchers used genomic data to predict skin color,
eye color, age, height, and biometric features
• Applying this information to 3D facial models, they
could correctly identify the subject from a pool of
1000 diverse individuals more than 80% of the time
Limitations / Criticisms
SOURCE: Lippert et al. Identification of individuals by trait prediction using whole-
genome sequencing data. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2017 Sep 19;114(38):10166-10171.
• Model success dropped to
50% when using a pool of
ethnically similar subjects
• Critics of the study claimed
that the diversity and limited
size of the dataset made it
relatively easy to identify
individuals
• Despite criticisms, this study
highlights the dynamic
nature of genomic re-
identification risk